


Moving Forward

by TheGeekySquirrel



Category: Gorillaz
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Dialogue Heavy, Father-Daughter Relationship, Ficlet, Gen, Happy Ending, Implied Relationships, Light Angst, Murdad, Murdoc's got 'em, One Big Happy Family, Retirement, implied future relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-17
Updated: 2019-01-17
Packaged: 2019-10-11 11:23:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17446010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGeekySquirrel/pseuds/TheGeekySquirrel
Summary: Murdoc's been running his entire life. He's never really thought about what happens when it's time for him to settle down.Good thing he's got Noodle here to tell him when it's time for a change.





	Moving Forward

“I think it’s time for you to retire, Murdoc.”

 

I scoffed at Noodle, “I’m only fifty-two. These are my best years! I can’t miss them because I’m cooped up in some home with a hundred people twice my age!”

 

“That’s not what I mean and you know it. You’ve been doing the same thing for  _ twenty years _ now. It’s time to move on with your life.”

 

“Oh, I get it now. You just wanna get rid of cranky old Niccals. What a rotten daughter you are.”

 

“Murdoc-”

 

“Sure, use the old man and dump him like garbage. It’s not like he has  _ feelings _ or anything messy like that, he’s just a salty bassist who doesn’t give a shit about you or your brother or anyone else!”

 

“ _ Murdoc- _ ”

 

“All because someone younger and better has appeared  _ out of thin fucking air _ ! All because I gave you an alternative while I had to take care of other business for just a few months. Satan, you’re a rotter. Do you know that Noodle? How did I ever raise someone as horrible as you? Just think, abandoning a friend the  _ second _ it seems like he’s not useful anymore-”

 

“Dad!”

 

I shut my trap immediately. I’d gone too far this time with my stupid guilt tripping shit. She got up and I knew she’d leave me, just like I left my own father the second I could. To my surprise, her feet carried her right in front of me. For a good minute, I thought she was looking to get a good slap in before she left, I deserved it for all I’ve done. I’m a rotten old man, just like my fucking father. Just like he’d said I would be. 

 

Noodle dropped to her knees and wrapped her strong arms around my torso. She took advantage of my frozen shock to whisper in my ear. 

 

“I love you, dad, and I’m not going anywhere. Promise.”

 

She was so sincere, I couldn’t not believe my darling daughter. Even if I didn’t like what she said when she pulled away, I listened. 

 

“We’re not abandoning you. I’ve just been talking with the others and we all agree it’s time to let you go live out the rest of your life without having to work all the time. Wouldn’t it be nice to go live somewhere quiet? Figure out what makes you really happy?”

 

I let out my signature chuckle, “I know what makes me happy.”

 

“Liquor doesn’t count. C’mon, Murdoc, work with me here. What’s one thing that makes you feel completely calm, no matter the situation? We’ve got the funds, we can get you near it.”

 

I wracked my brain for the answer I knew she deserved. No more of that bullshit lying. There was a day from when I was eight, where I’d run away from our “family vacation” to hide under a pier. Another from my nineteenth birthday on a “borrowed” houseboat. A cool night on an isolated hell island, thousands of miles away from all of humanity’s mess, yet right in the middle of it all. Those isolated instances were what gave me my answer. 

 

“You’ll be beside me?” I hesitantly asked. My daughter gave me a great smile I hadn’t gotten from her since she was a tiny thing. 

 

“Every step of the way, dad.”

 

“Then I’ve got an idea.”

 

* * *

* * *

 

All in all, it was relatively painless to set up. One short announcement and one long month of renovating a second-hand home were all it took. 2D and Russel had come to the little get together at the end of it all, of course. They were doing the dishes together now. Satan, when had they started looking at each other in  _ that _ way? Seems like I’ve missed more than I thought I had.

 

Noodle and I are sitting side by side on the deck, sipping on outrageously expensive whiskey. 

 

“So, what’s next for the infamous Noodle now that her old man’s officially retired?” I ask tentatively. She lets out a breathy laugh, “Ace is on his way, and I think I’m gonna ask him out when he gets here. The thing I’ve got with him feels different than anything else I’ve had.”

 

I can’t say that was much of a surprise. As I mull that over, she continues on, “I’ve been thinking about taking some of the money from the next album to buy that plot of land we pass through on our way into town. It looks like a nice place to go when I’m ready to retire too.”

 

“Not gonna join your darling dad on his nice houseboat? I’m hurt, love”

 

Noodle laughs again, shaking her head, “Not this version of me, no. I left  _ her _ parts in your study, by the way. And yes, that includes the head. The bonsai tree’s been replanted, but I think Katsu may have peed in the head while I was doing that, sorry.”

 

“It’s alright love, ain’t nothing I can’t fix.”

 

“As long as you don’ force her to play guitar again. She probably needs a rest as much as the rest of us, the poor kid. I just hope I can make a better impression this time.” 

 

I hear the door to the house open and close, and my other friends call goodbyes as they walk off my new home. My guitarist sighs as she stands up a second later.

 

“You want your bass before I go, dad?”

 

“Please.”

 

She took a few minutes to grab my faithful instrument before leaving me alone, but not fully. I pluck a tune softly as I look out on distant waves. Once, I would’ve scrambled to write the notes that pour from my nearby amp into the night air. Now, though, I stay put. I have all the time in the world on my boat. Might as well enjoy it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I wrote this months ago in a notebook, completely forgot about it until a conversation with a mutual reminded me of it, and then immediately typed it up & edited it. This kinda serves as a bit of a prequel to a Nuace fic I did a while back, so go read that if you wanna find out if Noodle buys the plot of land she mentions once and asks Ace out (spoiler alert; she did).  
> Tbfh tho, I really like the idea of the band eventually all settling down into retirement, spending their golden years together with Murdoc living on a houseboat and Noodle living away from everyone except the people she knows really care about her. It's nice, I think.
> 
> Anyways, if you enjoyed this, please leave a kudos or a comment or come talk to me on Tumblr (@grlz-babe)! As always, have a wonderful day y'all!


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